Proximity-based electronic toys and entertainment methods using same

ABSTRACT

A disposable electronic device includes a housing, a user interface in the housing and a short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housing. A controller is configured to control the user interface and the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver. A non-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery also is provided in the housing. New forms of disposable, proximity-based communications systems, devices and methods thereby may be provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/013,126, filed Dec. 15, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,156, assigned tothe assignee of the present application, the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if set forthfully herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to electronic systems, devices and operationalmethods, and more specifically to disposable electronic systems, devicesand operational methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Disposable electronic devices are being increasingly made and used. Asused herein, a “disposable electronic device” means an electronic devicethat includes a housing, electronic circuitry in the housing, and anon-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery in the housing that isconfigured to temporarily power the electronic circuitry until thenon-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery discharges.

For example, it is known to provide greeting cards that play a tune,such as “Happy Birthday”, upon opening. Moreover, disposable electronicdevices may be included with children's fast food meals, and may includevoice recorders, lights and/or other electronic features. Thesedisposable electronic devices may be used to promote a movie, book,television program or other entertainment venture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disposable electronic devices according to some embodiments of thepresent invention include a housing, a user interface in the housing,and a short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housing. Acontroller is provided in the housing that is configured to control theuser interface and the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver. Anon-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery also is provided in thehousing that is configured to power the user interface, the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver, and the controller, until thenon-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery discharges. By providing ashort range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in a disposable electronicdevice housing, according to some embodiments of the present invention,new forms of disposable, proximity-based communications systems, devicesand methods may be provided.

In some embodiments, the user interlace includes a light source, a soundsource and/or a user input device, such as a key or button. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to receive a message from theshort range, unlicensed wireless transceiver, and to control the userinterface and to transmit a message via the short range, unlicensedwireless transceiver in response thereto. In still other embodiments,the controller is configured to receive a message from the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver, and to control the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver to transmit a message in responsethereto and in further response to occurrence of a predeterminedcondition. In some embodiments, the predetermined condition comprisesactivation of the user interface and/or expiration of a predeterminedtime. In still other embodiments, the controller is configured to ignorereceipt of a message from the short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceiver in response to occurrence of a predetermined condition.

In some embodiments, the housing has an external appearance that isrelated to an entertainment event where the disposable electronic deviceis distributed or used. In other embodiments, the housing also includesan admission ticket for the entertainment event.

Other embodiments of the invention provide an entertainment method for avenue wherein messages are caused to pass among a plurality ofdisposable electronic devices at the venue that are carried by attendeesof the venue. The disposable electronic devices include a housing, ashort range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housing that isconfigured to receive and transmit messages, and a non-replaceable,non-rechargeable battery in the housing that is configured to power theshort range, unlicensed wireless transceiver until the non-replaceable,non-rechargeable battery discharges.

In some embodiments, prior to causing the messages to pass among thedevices, the plurality of disposable electronic devices are distributedto the attendees of the venue. In other embodiments, the disposableelectronic devices are caused to emit audible and/or visible signals inresponse to the messages that pass among the plurality of devices at thevenue. In still other embodiments, the electronic devices continue toemit the audible and/or visible signals until the non-replaceable,non-rechargeable batteries discharge. The audible and/or visible signalsmay be emitted sequentially and/or simultaneously by the electronicdevices in response to the messages. Moreover, in other embodiments, themessages contain therein attendee input selections that are provided toa user interface of a respective device by a respective attendee. In yetother embodiments, an initial message is loaded in at least one of thedisposable electronic devices, to thereby cause the messages to passamong the plurality of devices.

In yet other embodiments of the invention, a plurality of firstdisposable electronic devices are provided at a first venue. In theseembodiments, messages may also be caused to pass among a plurality ofsecond disposable electronic devices at a second venue that are carriedby attendees of the second venue. At least one of the first disposableelectronic devices is linked with at least one of the second disposableelectronic devices via a wide area network.

Communication methods according to other embodiments of the inventioncause two or more disposable electronic devices that are carried by twoor more individuals, to interact with one another in response to the twoor more disposable electronic devices being proximate to one another. Inother embodiments, the devices interact with each other by causing thedevices to emit audible and/or visible signals sequentially and/orsimultaneously in response to the devices being proximate to oneanother. Moreover, in other embodiments, the devices cease interactingwith one another in response to the devices no longer being proximate toone another. In some embodiments, these interactions are independent ofinteraction by the two or more individuals with the two or moredisposable electronic devices. Accordingly, autonomous, disposable,proximity-based communications, systems, methods and/or electronicdevices may be provided, to allow unique instantiations according tovarious embodiments of the present invention.

It will be understood that embodiments of the invention have beendescribed above primarily in connection with devices and methods.However, analogous communications and/or entertainment systems may beprovided according to other embodiments of the present invention.

Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products will be orbecome apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of thefollowing drawings and detailed description. It is intended that allsuch additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products beincluded within this description, be within the scope of the presentinvention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a disposable electronic device according to variousembodiments of the present invention, including a block diagram ofinternal components thereof.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of user interfaces according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 3-5 are flowcharts of operations that may be performed by acontroller according to various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a disposable electronic device according to otherembodiments of the present invention including a ticket on the housingthereof.

FIGS. 7-9 are flowcharts of operations that may be performed forentertainment according to various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates entertainment operations according toFIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of operations that may be performed forentertainment across multiple venues according to various embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates operations of FIG. 11.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts of operations that may be performed forcommunication among disposable electronic devices according to variousembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrativeembodiments of the invention are shown. However, this invention may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and willfully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being“coupled” or “connected” to another element, it can be directly coupledor connected to the other element or intervening elements may also bepresent. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directlycoupled” or “directly connected” to another element, there are nointervening elements present. Like numbers refer to like elementsthroughout. As used herein the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may beabbreviated by “/”.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another element. Thus, a first device discussed belowcould be termed a second device without departing from the teachings ofthe present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,”“comprising,” “includes” and/or “including” when used in thisspecification, specify the presence of stated features, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will befurther understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art andwill not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unlessexpressly so defined herein.

The present invention is described in part below with reference to blockdiagrams of methods, systems, devices and computer program productsaccording to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that ablock of the block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams, may be implemented at least in part by computer programinstructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to acontroller of a device, such that the instructions, which execute viathe controller create means, modules, devices or methods forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagram block orblocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a memory onthe device that can direct a controller of a device to function in aparticular manner, such that the instructions stored in the memoryproduce an article of manufacture including computer-readable programcode which implements the functions/acts specified in block diagramblock or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loadedonto a controller of a device to cause a series of operational steps tobe performed to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the controller provide steps forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagram block orblocks.

It should also be noted that in some alternate implementations, thefunctions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted inthe flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in factbe executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/actsinvolved.

FIG. 1 illustrates a disposable electronic device according to variousembodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a disposableelectronic device 100 includes a housing 110, a short range, unlicensedwireless transmitter and receiver (transceiver) 130 in the housing 110,a controller 140 in the housing 110 and a non-rechargeable battery 150in the housing 110. It will be understood that the term “battery” isused generically to cover any electricity storage device, such as a fuelcell.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the housing 110 may be fabricated of hardplastic, soft plastic, metal and/or other conventional materials, andmay be in the shape of a human or animal figure, a toy, a vehicle orother item. The housing is configured so as to prevent the replacementand recharging of the battery 150. The short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceiver 130 may include an infrared, ultrasonic and/or radiofrequency transmitter that is operable over a short range, which doesnot require a regulatory license for operation and which does notrequire credentials for participation. In some embodiments, the shortrange is about 100 feet or less. In other embodiments, the short rangeis about 25 feet or less. In still other embodiments, the short range isabout 5 feet or less, such that an ad hoc network is formed once a venueis filled with attendees. Exemplary short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceivers 130 include infrared transceivers, ultrasonic transceivers,Bluetooth transceivers, Family Radio Service (FRS) transceivers and/orRadio Frequency ID (RFID) transceivers. Combinations of technologies,such as Bluetooth over infrared, also may be used. Visible light at aparticular frequency or frequencies also may be used. Other short range,unlicensed wireless transceivers that are available or are developedhereafter may also be used.

The controller 140 in the housing 110 can include a logic circuit and/ora general purpose and/or special purpose processor which may run understored program control. The controller 140 is configured to control theuser interface and the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver 130,to provide entertainment and/or communication systems and/or methods, aswill be described in detail below. The controller 140 may include amicroprocessor or an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) insome embodiments. For simplicity, however, in some embodiments, thecontroller 140 may include a small number of logic gates that can beconfigured to execute a limited set of functions without providing thefull functionality of a microprocessor or an ASIC. The non-replaceable,non-rechargeable battery 150 includes any battery or batteries (or otherelectricity storage source) having sufficient power to temporarily powerthe user interface 120, the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver130 and a logic circuit 140, for a finite period of time, which may beon the order of hours or days, until the non-replaceable,non-rechargeable battery discharges. Thereafter, the housing 110 may beused as a passive toy without the user interface 120, the wirelesstransceiver 130 and the controller 140 being operable.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of user interfaces 120 according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the userinterface 120 may include an output user interface and input userinterface. The output user interface may include one or more lightsources 210, such as light emitting diodes, lasers and/or conventionallamps of single or multiple colors. A sound source 220 may be providedto provide beeps, tones and/or synthesized and/or recorded sound output.Sound sources may include buzzers and/or speakers. The input userinterface may include one or more buttons 230 that may be used toactivate/deactivate various functions or to indicate a user response. Asused herein, the term “buttons” includes keys and switches. A voiceactivation system 240 also may be provided that can be responsive tovoice signals or commands. Other user interface components for userinput or output that are known or developed subsequently also may beprovided. It also will be understood that, although the light source andsound source are indicated as part of a user interface, the light sourceand sound source may be visible and/or audible by individuals other thanthe user of the disposable electronic device as well.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of operations that may be performed by acontroller, such as the controller 140 of FIG. 1, to control disposableelectronic devices, such as the disposable electronic device 100 of FIG.1, according to various embodiments of the present invention. As shownin FIG. 3, at Block 310, a message is received from another device viathe short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver 130. In response, theuser interface 120 is controlled at Block 320 and a message istransmitted to another device via the short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceiver 130, at Block 330. It will be understood that the functionsof Blocks 320 and 330 may occur out of the order shown orsimultaneously. Accordingly, in some embodiments of FIG. 3, upon receiptof a message from another disposable electronic device, the light source210 and/or sound source 220 may be activated, and a message is sent toyet another disposable electronic device for receipt thereby.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of other operations of controllers according toother embodiments of the present invention. In embodiments of FIG. 4,after receipt of the message from another device via the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver at Block 310, a determination is made atBlock 320 as to whether a predetermined condition has occurred. Uponoccurrence of the predetermined condition, the operations to transmit amessage are performed at Block 330. In some embodiments, thepredetermined condition can be activation of an input button 230 orvoice activation 240 of an input user interface, to indicate a user'sselection. In other embodiments, the predetermined condition can beexpiration of a predetermined time after receipt of the message at Block310. Other predetermined conditions may be provided by the controller,to provide various entertainment and/or communications systems and/ormethods, as will be described further detail below.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of operations that may be performed by otherembodiments of controllers. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, uponoccurrence of a predetermined condition at Block 320, the message may beignored at Block 510, whereas if the predetermined condition does notoccur at Block 320, then the message can be processed at Block 520. Forexample, at Block 320 of FIG. 5, the predetermined condition may beprior receipt of a message, such that a subsequent message is ignored atBlock 510, whereas a first message is processed at Block 520. Thus, insome embodiments, the user interface 120 may only be activated a singletime in response to a message that is received from another device. Inother embodiments, a message may be processed at Block 520 uponoccurrence of a predetermined condition, and ignored if thepredetermined condition does not occur. Thus, for example, if the userdoes not provide a desired input, then the message may be ignored,whereas if the user provides a desired input, the message can beprocessed.

FIG. 6 illustrates a disposable electronic device 600 according to otherembodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the housing110 may be in the shape of a movie character or an entertainer. Theelectronic device 600 may be distributed at a restaurant, such as a fastfood restaurant, in connection with a movie promotion or otherentertainment promotion. Alternatively, an entertainer-shaped device 600may be distributed with each ticket purchased for an entertainment, suchas a concert. In other embodiments, the disposable electronic device 600may be received by each attendee at the entertainment event itself, andmay even include a printed ticket 610 on the housing 110. In someembodiments, the housing 110 may be approximately 3″ tall. However,smaller or larger housings may be used.

Still referring to FIG. 6, in these embodiments, a user interface lightsource 210 may be provided using, for example, a series of lightemitting diodes. “Yes” and “no” user input buttons 230 may be provided.In some embodiments, holding down one of the buttons 230, such as “yes”,may automatically light up the lights 210. A short range, unlicensedwireless transceiver 130 may be embedded in the housing 110. The shortrange, unlicensed wireless transceiver can be configured to receive andtransmit very close, very specific unlicensed band transmissions, forexample, to enable communications within a 5 foot maximum range.

In some embodiments, the transceiver 130 may use two directionalantennas that are oriented, for example, at 90° angles from each other,so that transmissions are only received in a first direction and aretransmitted in a second direction. In other embodiments, othertechniques may be used to receive transmissions in one direction and totransmit in another direction. Moreover, in still other embodiments,omnidirectional transmitting and receiving, or transmitting andreceiving in the same direction, may be used.

Still referring to FIG. 6, a controller may be provided (not shown inFIG. 6). The controller may be operable to decide what to do when amessage such as a trigger pulse is received from another device. In someembodiments, immediate relay may be provided to another device. In otherembodiments, the controller may wait a predetermined time and thentransmit. In yet other embodiments, only reception may take placewithout transmission. In still other embodiments, transmissions may beignored for a predetermined time after receiving a first trigger pulse.In other embodiments, the lights 210 are controlled to immediatelyactivate or to activate after a predetermined duration, and the durationof activation also may be controlled by the controller.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of entertainment methods and systems according tovarious embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, aplurality of disposable electronic devices are distributed to attendeesof a venue. As used herein, a “venue” denotes an area where a pluralityof electronic devices will be used together to form an ad hoc network.Thus, a venue may be an entertainment venue (museum, concert, sports,show or other entertainment venue) or a food and/or beverage venue(restaurant, coffee shop, bar and/or club), where devices will be usedtogether. Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, a kit maybe provided wherein a disposable device according to embodiments of thepresent invention and a food item are distributed together in a package.

Referring to Block 710, the portable electronic devices may bedistributed at the venue, for example upon admission to the venue or aspart of a food package or ticket that is distributed at the venue, ormay be distributed outside the venue in an area that is adjacent thevenue or remote from the venue. Thus, for example, disposable electronicdevices may be mailed to attendees of an event together with, or as,their tickets.

Referring now to Block 720, messages are caused to pass among aplurality of disposable electronic devices at the venue that are carriedby attendees at the venue. In these embodiments, the disposableelectronic devices can include a housing, a short range, unlicensedwireless transceiver in the housing that is configured to receive andtransmit the messages, and a non-replaceable, non-rechargeable batteryin the housing that is configured to power the short range, unlicensedwireless transceiver, until the non-replaceable, non-rechargeablebattery discharges. Accordingly, in these embodiments, messages may berelayed from device to device, when the devices are proximate oneanother at the venue.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of other embodiments according to the presentinvention. In these embodiments, an initial message is loaded in atleast one of the plurality of disposable electronic devices at Block810. Thereupon, at Block 720, the messages are caused to pass among theplurality of disposable electronic devices at the venue that are carriedby attendees of the venue. At Block 820, the plurality of disposableelectronic devices are caused to emit audible and/or visible signals,for example using the light source 210 and/or the sound source 220, inresponse to the messages that pass among the plurality of disposableelectronic devices at the venue.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of other embodiments. Referring to FIG. 9, atBlock 910, an attendee input selection is accepted, for example usingthe buttons 230 and/or voice activation 240. Then, at Block 920,messages are caused to pass among the devices, wherein the messagesinclude the attendee input selection. Attendee voting at a venue, forexample, voting for a particular song, thereby may be tallied among theattendees.

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates how a plurality of disposableelectronic devices may provide entertainment at a venue 1010. As shownin FIG. 10, an on-stage transmitter 1020 may provide an initial message1022 to a first disposable electronic device or devices D₁, as wasdescribed in connection with Block 810. Then, messages are caused topass among the remaining devices, as was described in Block 720, in asequence shown by the subscripts for the various devices D in FIG. 10.In some embodiments, each triggered device turns on its light source210, to illuminate. Each triggered light source may stay on for apredetermined interval or a communicated interval. After a decayinterval, the lights once again may go out. Accordingly, a “light wave”or “ripple” may be generated across a venue in response to the on-stagetransmitter 1020.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of other embodiments of the present invention. Inthese embodiments, multiple ad hoc networks of disposable electronicdevices may be linked into a meta network using a wide area network.Thus, as shown in FIG. 11, at Block 1110, messages are caused to passamong a plurality of first disposable electronic devices at a firstvenue that are carried by attendees of the first venue. At Block 1120,one or more of the first devices are linked to one or more seconddevices at a second venue using a wide area network, such as a wiredand/or wireless, public and/or private, telephone and/or data network,including cellular, satellite, walkie-talkie and/or microwave networks,and/or the Internet. Then, at Block 1130, messages are caused to passamong a plurality of second disposable electronic devices at a secondvenue that are carried by attendees of the second venue.

FIG. 12 graphically illustrates embodiments of FIG. 11, wherein in arepresentation of the United States, messages are caused to pass amongfirst devices at a first venue 1210. At least one first device is thenlinked to a second device using a wide area network 1220, to therebycause messages to pass among second devices at a second venue 1230. Ameta network thereby may be established, wherein multiple single venueinstantiations can be assembled into a regional, national or globalevent. The event may be viewable by satellite or helicopter. Moreover,by linking coordinating transmitters that may be similar to the onstagetransmitter 1020 of FIG. 10, multiple instantiations can be coordinated.An entire region, nation, continent or the globe can then become part ofa synchronous and/or sequential display.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of operations that may be provided according toother embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 13, adetermination is made at Block 1310 as to whether two disposableelectronic devices that are carried by two individuals are proximate toone another. If so, then at Block 1320, the devices may be caused tointeract with one another. For example, light sources, sound sourcesand/or other output devices on the two devices may be activatedsimultaneously or sequentially, based on proximity. An ad hoc communityof two or more devices thereby may be formed based on the devicesinteracting with one another upon the devices being proximate to oneanother. The ad hoc community may be formed independent of interactionby the individuals with the devices. The individuals who carry thedevices may thereby be prompted to interact with one another based onthe common interest that is indicated by the interacting disposableelectronic devices. Accordingly, prior to entering a venue or afterleaving a venue, individuals may be automatically identified to oneanother as being a fan of a particular movie, entertainer, sports team,etc., and interaction may thereby be promoted among the individuals.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of other embodiments of the present invention. Inthese embodiments, once the devices are no longer proximate to oneanother, the devices cease interacting at Block 1420.

Additional discussion of various embodiments of the present inventionnow will be provided. Embodiments of the present invention can provideautonomous, disposable, proximity-based communications systems, methodsand/or devices that can provide unique instantiations, such asgroup-modulated lighting, voting and/or collaborative content control.These instantiations may be provided within a proximity and also may bedistributed via wide area networks. Accordingly, embodiments of theinvention can allow the rapid assembly of large groups of people tointer-network and dynamically create unique, proximity-centricinstantiations anonymously.

Some embodiments of the present invention may arise from a recognitionthat the cost of disposable electronic devices has drasticallydecreased, so that toys now being given away with fast food restaurantmeals can include voice recorders, lights and/or other electronicfeatures. These devices may be augmented, according to variousembodiments of the present invention, to include simple inter-networkingwireless transceivers (receivers and transmitters), and can be providedwith an ability to perform a very limited set of responses to provideunique instantiations. Entertaining, advertising-related and/or otherdisplays of inter-networked disposable devices thereby may be created.

Some embodiments of the present invention can create an electronicanalog to concertgoers holding up cigarette lighters in the 1960s, orbreaking chemical plastic candles in the 1990s, or cell phones beingused to call outsiders by concertgoers in the 2000s. Electronic analogsalso may be created to the even earlier “wave”, where each person/groupin a larger group act together to create a ripple, create a word, orsimply create an entertaining large scale instantiation. Other eventshave used the issuance of specific cards to specific attendees withinstructions on how and when to hold up a specific card in order tocreate an enormous word. Embodiments of the present invention canprovide electronic analogs to these instantiations, as well as uniqueinstantiations that can be created by virtue of the unlicensed wirelesstransceivers and controllers that are provided in the housings ofdisposable electronic devices according to various embodiments of thepresent invention.

Embodiments of the present invention may be used at any venue wheregroups of people gather, such as at concerts, road races, waiting rooms,sports games, restaurants, theatres, etc. Disposable electronic devices,systems and methods according to embodiments of the present inventioncan be used to automatically entertain, to advertise, to instantiatevisible patterns, such as letters and/or logos, and/or to provideautomatically coordinated distributed content instantiation. Variousconfigurations may be implemented. For example, a single participant caninitiate a beginning of an electronic “wave” that, in turn, is rippledthrough the rest of the participants. An alternative trigger may comefrom the venue itself, as was illustrated in FIG. 10, in order tocontrol the audience level output. In these embodiments, the crowdbecomes part of the show itself, in that the light show onstage can beinterconnected with everyone in the venue.

Other embodiments of the present invention can provide an inputinterface on the disposable devices themselves, as was illustrated inFIGS. 1-3 and 6. For example, two or three buttons 230 may allow eachuser to add their input onto how the entire venue should look, therebyplacing the stage lighting or other features of the event and/or venueunder the attendees' control. This may provide a collaborative votingmethod using input from disposable devices. When three buttons areprovided, one could be “yes”, one “no”, and another button may beprovided to allow divisional branches and input into the proximity-basedcommunity.

As was also illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, group instantiation may alsobe carried out across separated venues, where each venue may beinterconnected using conventional communications networks, but thevenues each use devices, systems and/or methods as described herein.Accordingly, devices may be enabled with rudimentary lighting options,receiving and transmission circuitry, and simplistic rule bases, inorder to allow operation within a proximity group, according to someembodiments of the present invention. Limited functionality can beaffected. These devices may be provided at about the same quality andcost as is currently provided by toys included with restaurant meals atfast food restaurants.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention can leverage anad hoc network for entertainment purposes and/or for specific letterand/or logo instantiations in a crowd, to show things on a very largescale. Each device within the transmit/receive distance limits can betriggered by a message, and can pass on a trigger message. The localevent at each individual device could be to light the light for a setduration, or the duration setting also could be transmitted. Therecould, therefore, be a ripple effect to the transmission of visiblecommunications, with the visible decay and dying out of the first to belit.

Many other instantiations can be provided according to other embodimentsof the present invention. For example, as was described in connectionwith FIGS. 8 and 10, a transmitter at the venue could begin the triggerfrom a lighting event on the stage, so as to augment the stage lightingwith every one of the devices of the attendees in the crowd, therebyinvolving each attendee. Other venues could be inter-networked, as wasdescribed in FIGS. 11-12, using traditional communications circuits, inorder to create a mass, distributed, coordinated event, which could spana town, a country or the globe. Thus, a “Feed the Hungry” or othersimilar series of events across the planet could all be coordinated downto the individuals in attendance.

In other embodiments, the instantiation need not necessarily be light,but could also be a buzzer or one of several tones, or all other mannersof outputs. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can create“group art” using sound, light and/or other outputs.

Added input features also can be included on a disposable electronicdevice according to other embodiments of the present invention, tofacilitate altering the ad hoc interaction. For example, the inclusionof a “yes” button and a “no” button of FIG. 6 can allow, for example,group voting at a venue. It could also allow the modulation of anotherwise lock step instantiation, such as the ripple effect shown inFIG. 10, with more complex output, by allowing each device in the chainto alter the transference of the effect. In the disposable electronicdevice, at least one transmitter event may occur, which may becommunicated to subsequent devices in a viral manner, by reaching thenext available receiver in proximity. Each device can then either wait apredetermined interval to take action locally, such as to light itslight, and then can pass the signal to the next available device. Inother embodiments, a unique number may be included in the initialmessage, so that if a number comes back around, a comparator in eachcontroller can determine if it should be allowed to go around again, orthat it has been around once, and that is enough. A local comparison,therefore, may determine that it has already seen a message number, suchas “A37”, so the local device will not transmit that message again.

In other embodiments, the yes/no buttons of FIG. 6 may provide votingbuttons, so that attendees may also vote and thereby choose or alter thecontent of the venue. For example, in a given concert, the attendees canvote on each song, and the singer can play the most wanted songs.Alternatively, attendees could vote on the volume at the venue using thedevices. Thus, inclusion of the attendees can dynamically alter thecontent that the attendees are consuming.

Embodiments of the present invention can, therefore, provideentertainment, collaboration, internetworking and/or communication. Thehousing of electronic devices according to embodiments of the inventionmay be configured to look like a cheap cell phone, a doll or any otherobject. Moreover, as described in FIGS. 13-14, people may just find itinteresting to see what impromptu networks they could become a part of,either at the initial venue, before and/or later, for example walkinghome or later at the grocery store or in the street. Accordingly, a usercould find a community as the user travels about.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed embodimentsof the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

1. An electronic toy comprising: a housing that has an externalappearance of a toy; a light source and/or a sound source in thehousing; a short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housingthat is configured to transmit and receive short range unlicensedwireless communications but is not configured to transmit or receivelong range, licensed wireless communications; a controller in thehousing that is configured to control the light source and/or the soundsource in response to receipt of an incoming message by the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver; and a non-replaceable, non-rechargeablebattery in the housing that is configured to power the light sourceand/or the sound source, the short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceiver and the controller until the non-replaceable,non-rechargeable battery discharges, wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to ignore receipt of a message from the short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver in response to occurrence of apredetermined condition.
 2. An electronic toy according to claim 1wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an outgoingmessage via the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in responseto receipt of the incoming message.
 3. An electronic toy according toclaim 2 wherein the controller is configured to receive an incomingmessage from the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver and tocontrol the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver to transmit anoutgoing message in response thereto and in further response tooccurrence of a predetermined condition.
 4. An electronic toy accordingto claim 3 wherein the electronic toy also includes a user input deviceand wherein the predetermined condition comprises activation of the userinput device.
 5. An electronic toy according to claim 3 wherein thepredetermined condition comprises expiration of a predetermined time. 6.A device according to claim 1 wherein the housing has an externalappearance of a toy that is related to an entertainment event.
 7. Adevice according to claim 6 wherein the housing includes an admissionticket for the entertainment event.
 8. An entertainment method for avenue comprising: causing messages to pass among a plurality ofelectronic toys at the venue that are carried by attendees of the venue,each of the electronic toys including a housing that has an externalappearance of a toy that is related to an entertainment event at thevenue, a short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housingthat is configured to receive and transmit the messages but is notconfigured to transmit or receive long range, licensed wirelesscommunications, and a non-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery in thehousing that is configured to power the short range, unlicensed wirelesstransceiver until the non-replaceable, non-rechargeable batterydischarges; and causing a respective one of the plurality of electronictoys to ignore receipt of a message from a respective short range,unlicensed wireless transceiver that is included in the housing thereof,in response to occurrence of a predetermined condition.
 9. A methodaccording to claim 8 wherein causing messages to pass is preceded by:distributing the plurality electronic toys to the attendees of thevenue.
 10. A method according to claim 8 further comprising: causing theplurality of electronic toys to emit audible and/or visible signals inresponse to the messages that pass among the plurality of electronictoys at the venue.
 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein theaudible and/or visible signals are emitted sequentially and/orsimultaneously by the plurality of electronic toys in response to themessages that pass among the plurality of electronic toys at the venue,12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of electronictoys continue to emit the audible and/or visible signals until thenon-replaceable, non-rechargeable batteries discharge.
 13. A methodaccording to claim 8 wherein the messages contain therein attendee inputselections that are provided to a user interface of a respectiveelectronic toy by a respective attendee who carries the respectiveelectronic toy.
 14. A method according to claim 8 wherein causingmessages to pass is preceded by: loading an initial message in at leastone of the plurality of electronic toys.